Sustainability is becoming an increasingly popular focus for Kiwis who are looking to build their family homes. NZ author Michele Powle and her family, wanted to create a home that was sustainable, energy-efficient and designed for passive solar gain that was well insulated and well ventilated - all of which needed to be within their budget. Another key factor when building their family home, as it would be for many young families, was that the home was child friendly and could grow with the Powles family. A passionate writer and established author, Michele began a blog that would document her family’s journey as they embarked on the journey of building their home, this was called The Building Blocks Project.

When building a new home there is a lot to think about, especially if you want to use Passive House design principles and achieve a New Zealand Homestar rating. The process starts with the basic structure of your home where you consider, location, sunshine, warmth and energy usage, it then continues into the minutiae of multiple decisions on each new home. This is the journey the Powle's experienced first-hand as they built their home in the Waitakere Ranges - a journey they hoped would result in a house that’s sensitive to the environment, yet smart design.

For many, roofing iron is the last thought that comes to mind when thinking of building an environmentally friendly home - this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only can long-run roofing add architectural beauty to your home, where planned properly, but it can also meet many environmental requirements. For example, Dimond Roofing’s long-run roofing is solar panel friendly, meaning it’s easy to attach solar panels too for energy-efficient heating. Another sustainable highlight of Dimond’s long-run roofing is that it’s made from New Zealand steel, which means it’s safe to collect drinking water from and can be recycled!

Using the right base material that can weather the elements is what leads to a long life, which in the long run (see what we did there) helps with sustainability. That’s why Dimond Roofing recommended ColorCote MagnaFlow for the Powle's home. Another key point behind choosing ColorCote MagnaFlow was that the Powle's home was being built within proximity to Waitakere’s western coastline, making the home prone to salt spray from the ocean. When building near the ocean it’s important to choose roofing and cladding that has a base material that won’t rust, ColorCote MagnaFlow contains an additional layer of magnesium in the alloy coating to give it advanced weather protection and a long, sustainable life with proper maintenance.

A section of the Powle's roofing design featured a low pitch (5 degrees), with this in mind the team at Dimond Roofing recommended using the profile Veedek on this part of the house. Along with clean, straight lines and a unique angled swage that provides a strong visual appeal, Veedek can handle sudden downpours (weather that the Waitakere region is known for) at a low pitch. Combine the benefits of Veedek with an economic cover width, and you have a cost-effective yet striking roof. For the remainder of the house, the Powle's chose to cover their roof and wall cladding in Black Dimond Roofing Corrugate, providing their home with a striking modern look.

Sitting seamlessly amongst the Waitakere’s surrounding native bush, The Building Blocks Project is now a place to call home for Powle's, who wake up every morning to views of the coastline knowing they’ve done their part too.